Surveillance solutions provider CBC (Europe) has protected one of Europe’s largest solar farms, in Portugal, using its detection system operating alongside with rugged PTZ surveillance cameras.

Surveillance solutions provider CBC (Europe) has protected one of Europe’s largest solar farms, in Portugal, using its detection system operating alongside with rugged PTZ surveillance cameras.

Working in conjunction with specialist independent security integrator Integrated Security Design (ISD-Tech), CBC was asked to devise an operationally effective way of securing this large site containing more than 2500 solar panels, each the size of a house with a total surface area of around 100,000 square kilometers. In total, the site’s resulting power generation output is more than 45 megawatts when running at full capacity.

The client brief involved a secure perimeter and detection system to monitor people and vehicles moving close to the defined perimeter of the site and provide early warning to the on-site security team of any unauthorized movements or intruders. Liaising with ISD-Tech, CBC specified its solution and two units have been installed to provide the required long-range detection capability. The detection system tracks and verifies intruders at distances up to 800 meters per unit and the system provides all-round site security using multiple, integrated technologies, with 360-degree coverage.

The solar farm installation involves an overlap between the two detection units, designed to overcome challenges including the varying topography and terrain of the perimeter ground being protected. They are mounted at a 5-meter elevation for similar reasons. Both units are integrated with, and control, the operation of two surveillance cameras supplied by CBC. The camera is a vandal-resistant, IP67-rated PTZ camera offering 530TVL images alongside either 30x or 36x optical zoom views.

Completing this project, CBC and ISD-Tech also provided the design, installation and commissioning of a multimode fiber optic network between the two radar locations and the site’s central server control room. “The finished system provides millimeter precise detection around the solar farm’s perimeter, as well as real-time tracking of any intruders via the cameras,” said John Downie, National Sales and Marketing Manager for CBC.

“When an intruder is detected an audible notification is provided to the security team, which avoids the need for operators to monitor screens constantly,” Downie said. “The relevant camera assigned to the radar unit which first detected the intruder will then automatically track their subsequent movements – thereby enabling the security team to move quickly and intercept the person. Each Radar Vision unit can independently control up to five separate PTZ cameras like C-AllView to display and track multiple threats simultaneously.”

Nicky Stokes, MD of ISD-Tech, added that the solar farm installation has proved a resounding success. “The client is extremely pleased with the finished system and feels the delivered solution is very flexible in its deployment and coverage.